Manufacturer Delivers Strong Message at Metco Network Evening

Dec 22, 2017 - While the inaugural Kaeser Compressors Network Evening in Wellingtons’ Hutt Valley would be expected to generate local interest, it was the comments of director Paul Jessup that delivered as much discussion as the Metco’s new Seaview premises.

Metco is owned by Paul Jessup and Brent Greer, two men with a firm grip on running an engineering component supply operation in the digital machine age. Building on its established presence in the Japanese market supplying friction window stays, the company has leapt from strength to strength, necessitating a recent move to the new expanded Seaview premises. Metco joins a growing list of New Zealand companies that have turned away from the commodity driven markets of yesteryear, ignored the third world competition bleating and got on with building niche operations using our unique Kiwi strength of rapid turn around and a solution based approach. The results speak for themselves with a portfolio of 600 customers including the Defence Force, Parliament and Rocket Labs.

The amount of digitally controlled equipment is stunning and listening to Jessup’s description of the expandable potential gave the attendees a heartening glimpse of what is possible. Metco’s roots and mainstream activities come out of traditional brake pressing cutting and folding industry, with the adaption of the latest digital technology. “This technology is leading edge.” quoted Paul Jessp “The machines are a good example of how New Zealand Industry could be positioned, developing and applying the next era of machine tools. The potential of automated lazer welding is a prime example. We have the ability to think outside the square and the innovation and efficiency to rapidly deliver it. However, there is absolutely no political drive or backing to support our potential. The machine tool operations you see in front of you would be considered a trade in any other country, but here it is not recognised and there is absolutely no training capability offered by the technical education sector to satisfy it. The bums on seats mentality of the sector is costing this country dearly.” Metco have given up looking for by outside training and now recruits, trains and develops its entire specialised staff itself.

Digital technology provides infinite scalability meaning the team can quote in numbers from 1 to 1 million, but the key to success in Jessups view is Metcos’ ability to control the entire process from start to finish. Jessup and Greers innovative approach is not restricted to new age machine tools and customers needs however. Their ethos extends to their own older traditional brake presses where a looming problem with traditional noise issues was resolved by addressing the noise generated by the die shear action. The attendees were impressed by the quietness of the operation, a view shared by Worksafe.

The Kaeser Compressors Network Evening series is as much about highlighting the capabilities of local companies as it is about spectacular achievements or interesting maintenance challenges and the Metco evening proved once again that innovation is a thriving capabaility in New Zealand.

The MESNZ Kaeser Compressors Network Evenings are hosted to showcase local operations and provide networking opportunities for engineers across all regions of New Zealand. The evenings offer the opportunity to take a look at the host operation and discuss common issues and solutions in a relaxed after work environment. Open to interested members of the public, the nights are well patronised.

The Maintenance Engineering Society is active across New Zealand, providing professional development opportunities for maintenance engineers and manufacturing operations to network and share innovations and experiences; both at a national level at their annual national conference or at these regional events. The 2018 National Maintenance Engineering Conference will be held in Rotorua on November13-15.